Do you need to spend an arm and leg to collect pen? No.

9 min readJan 2, 2025

Do you need to spend a lot of money on Pen Collection? No. I bought my pens using the Assurance Package money from our government. I losted my bag, my pens and watch collection are stolen. I want to buy back my pen collection, but want to be on budget, hence, building this pen collection.

How I started collecting pen?

I bought cross pen when I am teaching. Cross pen has red ink, blue ink, good for me.

When I worked in NTU, I bought Parker Sonnet pen. I later bought another Waterman hemisphere or parker pen for. Parker Sonnet pen is for high end occasions.

I think I have bought three pens, when not make a collection? I added in China dragon pen and Montblanc pen.

Before we go into Pens, let's look at the top Pen Brand.

MontBlanc (Europe)

MontBlanc is one of the leading creators of luxury writing instruments founded in 1906 by August Ebestian designer in partnership with Alfred Nehemais banker. They developed a range of Simple to use fountain pens and was soon taken over by Wilhelm Dziambor, Christian Lauren, and Johannes Voss, who make MontBlanc become a worldwide brand.

Pelikan (Europe)

With a rich history dating in early 1800s, Pelikan is a true titan among pen manufacturers, with their fountain pen being the most famous. Pelikan consistently rise among the rest and captured the essence of elegance, craftmans and innovation.

Parker (USA)

Parker Pen Company was established by George Stafford Parker in 1888. Parker is a teacher. In addition to being a teacher, Parker started selling pens for John Holland Pens Company, and his students became his main purchasers.

Sheaffer (USA)

Sheaffer was founded by Walter a. Sheaffer in 1912, and still proudly continues tradition of quality craftsmanship and innovation.

Cross (USA)

Cross Company is America oldest Company of writing instruments with history back 185 years. The company was founded in 1846 by Richard Cross in Hide Island.

Lamy (Europe)

Founded by Josef Lamy, a sales representative for Parker, 1930. Josef Lamy purchased the pen manufacturer Orthos and started his own company. In 1952, the company launched it's first fountain pen "Lamy 27" and changed it's name to Lamy.

Pilot (Japan)

Pilot began in Japan by two Marine Engineers Ryosuke Namikiband Nasao Wada in 1918. The company is originally Namiki Manufacturing Company, and was later Pilot Pen Co. Ltd. Pilot Pen Co. Ltd. Is one of the largest stationary companies in the world.

Jinhao

Jinhao (金豪) is main brand of Shanghai Qiangu Stationary Com Ltd. , established in 1988 in Jiangxi Province and relocated to Shanghai. Jinhao is a Chinese company specialized in writing instruments

Hongdian

Hongdian is a fountain pen company, Chinese, with more than 20 years manufacturing pens. Hongdian has the capability of production and innovation.

After looking at the Pen Brand, we may now look into rollerball, ballpoint and fountain pen.

Fountain pen

Fountain pen is the oldest and invented in 1900s. Fountain pen used a nib for writing and comes with converter. Fountain pen can be used for longer because nib can be replaced and nib size can be customisable. Color of ink can be changed.

Fountain pen require more maintenance and can be expensive and need to be capped or the ink will dry out.

Rollerball

Roller ball pen require less pressure to write and is smooth like fountain pen. Rollerball pen used liquid ink and come in all price points, and may have changeable refills.

Rollerball pen is easy to use and is lighter than fountain pen. Rollerball pen need to capped or the ink will dry out.

Ballpoint

The invention of ballpoint can be traced in 20th century. The ballpoint and rollerball is similar, but the ink in ballpoint is oil based. The ink are made by dissolving dyes in mixture of alcohols and fatty acids and makes the ink dried faster. Ballpoint require more pressure to write.

Ballpoint ink are water resistant and quick drying. Ballpoint pen is less expensive and is portable than fountain and rollerball pen. Ballpoint, but, need more pressure to write.

After exploring the ballpoint, rollerball and fountain pen, we can look into ink. Fountain pen has things that ballpoint and rollerball pen can't do. The main thing is the types of ink for fountain pen and the shimmer, shading and Sheening of ink.

Types of Ink

Dye based

Dye based ink are most well known and are made of water soluble chemical. They are easy to use and cheap. They do not clog fountain pen.

Pigment based

Pigment ink are more resistant to moisture or water resistant. It is essential to clean fountain pen regular because pigment based ink can clogs.

Iron gall

Iron gall ink are budge proof and they are reaction of tannic acid from galls of oak trees and iron ions. The Iron gall ink is highly acidic and hence, it is essential to clean the pen regularly.

Shimmer, Shading, Sheening

Sheen is where the ink shows two colours when dried, shading is the fading fromone end of your pen strokes to others. Shimmer are ink infused with glitters.

In my collection, my pen is simple. It must have ballpoint, rollerball, and fountain. It must come from USA, Europe, China.

Most pen collection are fountain pen, but to me, a pen collection must have ballpoint and rollerball.

Pen 1: Ballpoint, historical, USA

Parker Jotter Originals Ballpoint

$22

The Parker Jotter pen is an affordable, popular and clickable writing instruments. It is in the Golden Eye, Bond, James Bond movie. It became super popular upon its releases in 1954.

Pen 2: Roller Ball, Bahaus Design, Germany

Lamy Safari Rollerball Special Edition

$27

Timeless design, perfect ergonomic. The pen is light and easy to use. It is plastic, but it feels like high quality plastic. Lamy Safari is one of the most popular writing instruments in the world. Distinctive recessed grip guaranteed writing comfort and Lamy uses Bahaus design.

We have completed the ballpoint and rollerball.

Pen 3: Fountain, Transparent, China

Jinhao 992

$2.91

This is a budget pen, but has a truly western fine and glides along paper smoothly. It is made with high quality plastic and is light, and it is transparent which make it artistic. It has no slippage problem and is balanced.

Want to buy China pen, we should buy art one. I ordered a Jinhao pen (bamboo one) to replace.

They send me flower one. I am a Guy, not girl.

Pen 4: Fountain, Something Bulletproof, China

Jinhao x750

$6.32

This is a budget pen, but is made of steel and truly bulletproof. It has no slippage problem and is balanced, and glides along paper smoothly. It is my Everyday Carry pen, bulletproof, not expensive.

Pen 5: Fountain, Artistic, Resin, China

Jinhao Centennial 100

$17.60

This pen can resell at higher price. This pen is made of resin, like Parker Duofold, is artistic, light and balanced. It has no slippage problem and glides on paper smoothly. It is Duofold look-a-like.

Pen 6: Fountain, Artistic, Special Edition, China

Hongdian N23 Rabbit Year Limited Edition

$24.35

My Chinese Zodiac is rabbit, so this pen is Rabbit Year Limited Edition, hence, I bought it. This pen is heavy, no slippage problem, and is artistic.

Pen 7: Fountain, Final pen, Historical

Pelikan M200 Fountain Pen

$175

Pelikan is closed proximity to MontBlanc, which is the best brand for pen, according to Goldspot. The pen is light, balanced and glides very smoothly on paper, better than my other fountain pen. You will soon forget about the instrument you are using and focus on writing. The pen may be small, but can be write posted and has piston filling mechanism that is the best on the market.

The difference between m200 and m205 is m205 is silver nib, m200 is gold plated nib. The difference between m200 and m400 is m400 is gold nib, m200 is gold plated nib, and m400 has green-steiped sleeve.

When I saved more money, I may buy Pelikan m400, that is their historical pen. As stated by cityluxe.sg

"In 1950, the model 400 was launched. With its green-striped sleeve, it has become a world-wide symbol for the brand of Pelikan...The production of the sleeve is work-intensive. Adhering to a special Pelikan recipe, the raw material cotton is processed through many different steps until it is shaped into a striped sheet. It is then formed into the right shape, cut and sanded with a diamond."

According to Tompens

"It is certain that if Her Majesty uses a Parker 51 pen, she does so only in places where there are no photographers. In a set, home environment, Pelikan tends to dominate. In occasional places (e.g. guest book) she uses whatever pen is put in front of her (Parker was never put in front of her). "

Total Damage

$275.18 SGD for 7 pens. Bloggers from ukfountainpens.com might casually describe a £100 or £150 (255.53 SGD) pen as affordable. I bought 7 pens for $275.18 and my collection has a lot of historical to say when asked, surely will have face😛

Add in a Pencil and Marker Pen

I am a lecturer, so I added in Pilot Marker pen (Japan). I have also added in Staedtler pencil. When I draw last time,I always used Staedtler pencils.